


For the Better

by grichards14



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-22
Updated: 2013-02-17
Packaged: 2017-11-22 00:00:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/603521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grichards14/pseuds/grichards14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Katniss Everdeen leaves cold Pennsylvania for sunny California, hoping to do well in college, but when Peeta enters her life, everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

This is my first fanfiction, so we'll see how it goes. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, I just like to mess around with them. 

September 2012

The grass tickled my thighs as I laid against the brick wall waiting for my class to start. Growing up in cold Pennsylvania, the warm sunshine in southern California warmed me to my bones. I tilted my head back to absorb more of the rays but a shadow quickly blocked all of that. 

“Hey baby. How you doin’?” a deep voice woke me from my rest. 

“Is that really the best you can come up with?” I stared up at the intruder, a glare already forming on my face. 

“Aw, come on Kat, you know you love me. I just have to practice my lines, you know for all the ladies”, Finnick Odair smiled down at me, his green eyes twinkling. I’d known Finn for years, having grown up in the same town and attended the same high school. We had quickly become fast friends, even though we were complete opposites; he played water polo and swam, breaking all the records in the state, I stayed under the radar, preferring to spend my nights and weekends at home. 

“Finn, women flock to you without the stupid lines”

“Yeah, but it’s so much more fun. Plus I love annoying you” his eyes crinkled while he chuckled. 

“Go! Go flaunt your ridiculous body to women!” I laughed, stood up and brushed the grass off my legs. He rose up with me and walked off towards the pool: his second home. 

I looked down at my watch, realizing I was going to be late for class and ran towards the building. 

Opening the door, I was hit with a cool blast of air conditioning and quickly found the small lecture hall. I walked in and found a seat in the middle, pulling out my laptop and opening up my email. Seeing something from my sister, I opened it, not noticing other students entering the room. 

Eventually, the professor walked in, introducing himself as Dr. Abernathy, although he was probably as far from a doctor as you could get. His clothes were baggy and dirty, he smelled of cheap alcohol, and his hair resembled a dirty mop. I chuckled at his appearance, crossing my legs and bouncing my knee, anxious to get started. 

“Hey” a deep voice whispered from my left. It startled me, knocking my knee against my desk. I looked at the face behind the voice and was once again startled; the most incredible eyes stared back at me, they were blue, clear, ocean blue. 

“Um, hi” I whispered back, my eyes sneaking one more peek at his gorgeous eyes. It was then that I noticed the rest of him; his curly, messy blonde hair, perfect white teeth surrounded by plump pink lips, his tongue occasionally darting out to wet them. 

“I’m Peeta” his hand stuck out, obviously waiting for me to shake it. I put my palm into his, surprised by the warmth and strength I felt there. 

“Katniss”

“Katniss” he said the word rolling off his tongue “Sounds familiar. Do you know someone named Finn?”

“Yeah, yeah I do. Why?” my body turned towards him, suddenly engrossed in the conversation. 

“He’s mentioned you before. Always talked about the girl he grew up with. We play water polo together” his eyes crinkled as he smiled. 

I chuckled loudly, turning the professor’s eyes toward me. 

“Sorry” I whispered. He glared at me then just sat back down, taking another swig out of his flask. 

I turned back towards the blonde next to me, my eyebrow raised. 

“So Finn talks about me?” I questioned. 

“Yeah, all the time” he leaned in closer, obviously thinking that I had fallen for his hot sexy crap. 

“Did he tell you how I don’t fall for womanizing assholes like him?” I spat back. I turned around, willing myself not to look at him. If I did, I knew I wouldn’t ever look away.


	2. Chapter 2

September 2012: Peeta

I walked into the locker room still thinking about the girl from my earlier class, Katniss. She was so beautiful, even when she was pretty much telling me to go to hell. I could see where she was coming from though, I was friends with one of the biggest players on campus; so she automatically grouped me with him. I had to prove her wrong, show her who I really was. 

"Hey Peeta! Quit staring at the ground and get your fucking suit on! If we're late in the pool those extra swim sets will be coming from you" Finn broke me out of my trance and reminded me why I was here. 

"Alright Finn, I'm coming!" I shouted back already having my shirt and shorts off, grabbing my suit out of bag. After putting it on, I ran outside grabbing my goggles on the way out of the lockers. 

Walking out of the locker room, I was immediately greeted by the sounds of splashing and the distinct smell of chlorine. It didn't bother me like most people, but then again I had been smelling it for almost ten years now. I had been swimming since the age of eight and when I turned twelve, I started playing water polo. Instead of burning my eyes and nose with its burn, the chlorine reminded me of my favorite place: the water. 

When I swam, it was like I could forget about all the horrible things going on and just be. It didn't judge me or pressure me to be better, faster, stronger. It gave me the escape I needed from my life at home. 

Shaking my head, I was brought out of my trance by a familiar figure standing at the edge of the water: Katniss. She was talking to Finn, waving her hands around with a scowl marring her beautiful features. Her hair was coming out of its delicate braid falling around her face in soft waves. I smiled watching her, wanting to go talk to her but knowing if I did she would most likely kill me. 

Instead, I dove into the clear water, doing a quick warm up lap to get my shoulders loose. Realizing that Katniss was still screaming at Finn, I swam over to where they were, pulling my arms up to the wall. 

"Hey, sorry to interrupt but Finn, dude you really need to get in. Coach is going to be here in 5 and if you're not warmed up, we're all screwed" at the sound of my voice, Katniss' head whipped around to look at me. Her eyes widening then forming into a glare. 

"Thank you! See Kat, I told you I need to go. Don't make Peety made at me. Now calm down and talk to me after practice" I scowled at the use of my hated nick-name. Splashing water up onto the pool deck and waiting for Finn to get it. Instead of hitting Finn though, I sprayed water all over Katniss. If there was a way for her to hate me more, I just made it happen. 

She gave a sarcastic huff and rolled her eyes, "Look buddy, if you wanted me wet, there are better ways to make that happen" with that she turned and walked away, her hips swaying lightly from side to side. 

I groaned involuntarily watching her walk away. From that moment on I made it my goal to figure her out; to learn what made her happy, mad, and sad. And to do that, I would have to enlist the help of my favorite womanizer. 

\-----------

Climbing out of the pool, my arms shook with fatigue, begging me to stop and go back to sleep. I walked back to the locker room, exhausted and ready to crash into my small bed. 

"Hey Peeta!" at the sound of Finn's voice, I stopped my walking and turned around. 

"Yeah Finn?" I internally prayed that he wouldn't ask me to go out tonight, his favorite past time after a Friday practice, I had a hot date with my pillow. 

"So, today's Friday..." he left the end open, obviously waiting for me to fill it. 

"No, Finn. I can't, not tonight. I'm exhausted, I've got a shitload of reading to do and I haven't eaten since breakfast. I'm not in the mood to go out and get plastered" I sighed turning to walk back to the locker rooms. My skin had started to get cold and I wanted to get a hot shower in before the rest of the guys used all of the water. 

"Ahh, come on Peety! It'll be fun. Only for a little while, please?" his lips formed into a pout and if it weren't for the fact that he was standing there in nothing but a speedo, I might have found it a little cute. 

I chuckled, "Finn, no. I'm sorry buddy, but no. Go find another sexually deprived guy to go out and prowl the town with you" with that I walked away, found an empty shower and let the hot water cascade over my body. 

After a while, everyone else had left the locker rooms, leaving me to slowly get dressed for my night in. Walking over to my swim bag, I tied a towel around my waist, pulling my speedo off underneath. I dug out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt not even bothering with boxers. 

My towel slipped off just as I heard a distinctly feminine voice, "Finn? Finn where- Oh shit!" Katniss jumped back, slipping off the wet tiled floor. I reached out to try and catch her, but ended up falling right on top of her. 

"Fuck! Shit, I am so sorry. Oh my God, are you alright?" I looked down at the figure in my arms, forgetting that the reason she was lying on the wet floor was because of me. 

"Yes, I'm fine. Now get off me!" she pushed my chest with her small hands. I immediately stood up and grabbed my previously forgotten towel, wrapping it tightly around my waist. 

She slowly stood up, her back completely soaked through from the puddle she had fallen in. Her hand reached up to tenderly feel around the back of her head, searching for a bump. 

"Are you sure you're alright?" I quietly asked while pulling on my t-shirt. 

"Yeah, I'm sure. Look, it was my fault, I thought Finn was in here. He told me to come find him when he was done, he still has my notes from our lecture this morning" she crouched down, gathering up things that had fallen from her bag when she fell. 

"Oh, well he left a while ago. Everyone pretty much left a while ago" I had finished dressing and was throwing everything into my bag. 

"Of course he did, that fucker" she rose suddenly as if she had just came up with a brilliant idea. Suddenly interested, I stopped what I was doing to hear her explanation. 

"Don't you see?"

"See what?" I was still confused, not picking up on the point she found so glaringly obvious. 

"He planned this. He knew you would be here alone, so he asked me to come find "him". God that ass!" she was talking with her hands again. I found it endearingly cute. But what really got me were her eyes, they were the most unique color I had ever seen: a light, silvery grey, framed by dark, long lashes. 

"Oh...um...ok" I stuttered through my words, not really sure what to say. 

"I'm sorry about this. I'm just going to go, I'm sure you have somewhere to be" she turned to walk away, her hips swaying once again.

"No! I mean, no I don't have anywhere to be. Look, do you want to do something?" never before had I felt this unsure of myself around a girl before. I ran my hands through my hair, bracing myself for the rejection soon to come. 

"What?" her head quickly turned, and for a brief moment I thought I saw something close to pain flash across her eyes. 

"Do you want to do something? Like hang out? I feel really bad about your clothes and how wet you are" the minute the words were out of my mouth I realized how bad that sounded. Yeah, this was never going to happen. I turned to grab my bag and go, not even bothering to hear her response. 

It came out so quiet and so unsure, that I wasn't even sure I had heard correctly, "Sure".


	3. Chapter 3

September 2012: Katniss

What. The. Fuck. Katniss, seriously? Earlier this morning you were telling him off for being a womanizer, a sexy womanizer at that, and now you're "hanging out"? Come on, what is wrong with you? You left home to focus on school, not boys.

My internal monologue was screaming at me for agreeing to hang out with Peeta but for some reason the sight of him rambling and stuttering there made me forget all of my rules. I'd never been very popular with the boys in high school, I preferred to spend my nights at home with my family than out partying. It had been better that way, because of my anti-social tendencies, I had graduated top of my class and gone as far away from my small town as I could.

Meeting Peeta had made me forget the reasons that I came to California for; I momentarily forgot that I needed to focus on school and not think about the gorgeous blonde haired boy smiling at me. Seeing him in his speedo had caused a sweet shiver to run down my spine, ending in a warm feeling settling between my legs. His body was perfectly sculpted from all the water polo he played: his muscular shoulders tapered down to a small waist with a tight ass that looked incredible in his suit.

"Really?" Peeta's deep voice broke me out of my dirty thoughts about him in his speedo. His eyes were wide and his hands had stopped what they were doing.

"Yeah, sure. Friends hang out all the time," I winced at the use of the word friends, did I really only want friendship with him? No, I wanted something else, something that friends didn't have, but I couldn't afford that right now. Not when I had so much else that I needed to focus on, a relationship wasn't in the cards for me right now, not even with someone as amazing as Peeta.

His smile that had formed had my agreement quickly turned into a grimace at my word choice. He obviously wanted friendship just as much as I did. The thought that he might want the same things as I did made me smile, I wasn't the only one thinking dirty things here.

"Right, friends," he turned to finish packing his bag up. An awkward silence hung in the air, the only sounds were the occasional sigh from Peeta as he tried and failed to fit his over sized towel into his bag. His blonde hair hung into his eyes and hid his face from my view. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair and push it away from his face so that I could see those crystal blue eyes. I wanted to slide my fingers over his defined jaw and the light stubble that had formed there. My fingers itched at my side as I stood there watching Peeta.

He finally turned to me, having given up the fight with the towel and settling to just hang it around his neck. He looked over at me, his mouth hanging open. I waited for him to say something, but he quickly closed it, instead moving to walk out of the locker room.

"Well are we going to hang out or aren't we?" he spoke as he looked back at me with a small smile forming on his lips. He stood in the doorway of the locker room, his hand braced against the wall.

My eyebrow raised on its own accord and a smirk formed on my lips. I walked towards him with determination in my step, stopping right behind him to place my hand on his arm. "Of course we are, friend," I ducked under his arm and started walking out of the room, satisfied that now he was the one getting left behind.

He quickly caught up with me, swinging his arm around my shoulder before beginning to animatedly describe his day to me, forgetting that I had been there for most of it. His eyes lit up when he talked and I found myself questioning my earlier decision to be his "friend"; he made me laugh at the stupidest jokes and spoke as if I was the most important thing in the world to him at that moment. I felt completely at ease with him, more so than I had with people I had known my entire life.

We finally stopped walking when we came to a large green yard encased by dorm buildings. Sensing my hesitation, he sat down on the grass, tugging on my hand to follow him. He leaned back on his elbows as I closed my eyes and laid back on my backpack.

"And then this psycho girl walked in on me while I was changing," he said bluntly. I quickly looked up at him with a scowl on my face.

"Just checking to make sure you weren't asleep," he smiled and pulled out a sketchbook and a dark pencil. Immediately I heard the sounds of a pencil moving across the paper, leaving dark lines in their wake.

"What are you doing?" I questioned and leaned over to get a look at his drawing. Before I could, he titled the book away from my line of vision, instead leaning his head closer to mine, I closed my eyes, waiting for his lips to touch mine. He was so close I could smell the mint on his breath and the faint odor of chlorine that was on his skin. I heard his tongue dart out to wet his lips and mine acted the same, begging him for a kiss.

Instead, his mouth went to my ear, whispering, "It's a secret," before retreating back with a small smile forming. I tried to brush it off and not look disappointed but I couldn't deny how badly I had wanted him to kiss me.

_Peeta  
_

I had been so close to those lips, so close to heaven, but we were friends, and friends didn't kiss the way that I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to lose myself in her lips, forget about the world and focus on the smoothness of her tongue and the way that our mouths molded together. 

My pencil continued its path along the white paper, creating a face on the canvas: a face that was beginning to star in my dreams and thoughts almost regularly. 

I couldn't deny my attraction to her, but she was skittish. I needed to make her trust me, if she trusted me then I was one step ahead of the game, and if being her friend would get her to trust me then being her friend is what I would do. 

As I drew, her breathing evened out, signalling that she had fallen asleep. I moved to nudge her body with my hip, but decided against it, instead I continued to draw her smile, the picture not comparing to the beauty that was on her. 

"Really Peeta? Drawing? Dude, if you wanted to stare at chicks..." his voice faded out as Finn got closer, realizing that Katniss was fast asleep on the grass next to me. 

I gave him a look and immediately his voice stopped altogether. I continued moving my pencil, occasionally glancing over at her face to make small corrections or reference points. 

"So I take it no progress has been made?" he questioned as I looked up from my drawing, finally finishing it.

"What do you think? If some had, I definitely wouldn't be sitting out here with her, we'd be somewhere more private," I sighed while picking up small pieces of grass and shredding them to pieces in my hands, releasing them to watch them softly fall to the ground. 

"Yeah, true. Well if you still want to, me and Gale are heading out tonight. And look, Katniss is a tough nut to crack,"

"Why Finn? What happened that made her this way?" I pleaded with him, desperate for any form of answer to help me solve the puzzle that was Katniss. 

"Not my story bro, you'll figure it out eventually though," with that he stood up and walked away from my spot.

I looked down at the beautiful girl beside me wondering what could have happened to shut her down and make her build these walls around herself. 

I wanted to tear all those walls down.

 


	4. Chapter 4

_Katniss_

I woke up crushed against a warm body, my pillow rising and falling with each breath. Only, it wasn't a pillow, it was a hard muscular chest that happened to belong to a certain blonde haired boy. 

I pushed myself off and reached my arms up to stretch, hearing and feeling a satisfying crack in my shoulders and back. I looked down at Peeta, his features softened in his sleep. My eyes travelled down his form, pausing to rest on his eyelashes that were so blonde they were almost white and his full pink lips that looked almost puckered in his sleep. 

I didn't know whether or not to leave, but the sun was beginning to set and a cool breeze had started to blow throughout the quad. 

"Peeta," I whispered while nudging his torso with my hip. 

"Mmm?" He only curled in closer to me, wrapping his arms around my hips while his eyes remained closed. 

"Peeta, come on, get up," I nudged him again, hoping to rouse him from his slumber. He finally rolled away enough to look up at me through his long lashes. 

"But I was having a good dream," he pouted. He pulled himself up to rest on his elbows and looked over at me, his mouth opening wide for a yawn. 

"Well, I'm sure you can continue your dream in your bed," I quickly stood up in order to escape his eyes that seemed as though they were looking right through me. He followed my actions and began to stand up, stretching his arms once he was finally up. 

I had never taken the time to fully appreciate him before, but I took advantage of his partially awake state to really look at him. He wasn't very tall, but he made up for it with muscle. His shoulders were broad and strong, tapering down to a small waist with strong legs. When he stretched, his shirt rode up to reveal a sliver of his tan stomach. 

I was brought out of my ogling by his throat clearing, "Sorry, you had something on your shirt," I tried to mask the fact that I had been openly staring at him. 

"Oh, thanks I guess? Anyways, which one is yours?" he gestured to the buildings all around us while looking back at me with questioning eyes.

"Berkeley Hall, you? Oh wait let me guess...you're not in a dorm, you're in a frat?" I turned back with a joking tone. 

"Damn, how'd you guess?" he chuckled, "I should really try and cover that up harder. No, actually, I'm not," he looked back at me with wide eyes, daring me to continue. 

"Shame, you play the part so well," I continued walking towards my dorm, leaving him trailing behind. 

"You wound me!" he threw one arm around my shoulders and the other he brought to his chest in mock pain, "I'm actually in Berkeley too, what a coincidence," he winked at me with a wide grin plastered on his face. 

"Oh really? Well that is surprising," I looked back at him with an eyebrow raised, daring him to challenge me further.

He said nothing and we continued to walk in silence to our building, finally entering the air-conditioned building with a collective sigh. It was a welcome relief from the heat outside.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways," I turned to walk away, but he quickly grabbed my arm. 

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't walk you to your room?" he questioned with a mischevious gleam.

I laughed and relented, pulling his hand towards the elevators to go to my room. The silence in the elevator was almost deafening, until it was broken. 

"Hey Katniss?" Peeta questioned from behind me, his voice soft and nervous. 

"Mhmm?" I anxiously waited for his question.

"Where are you from? I mean, I just realized I don't really know anything about you other than the fact that you enjoy staring at me when you think I'm not looking," he rushed out.

I couldn't help the nervous giggle that escaped my throat.

"Staring? I have no idea what you're talking about Mr. Mellark," I turned around to wink at him then looked back to the doors of the elevator, willing them to move faster; I wouldn't be able to resist him much longer. 

"Oh but I think you do Ms. Everdeen, but then again so do I," with that remark the doors opened and I silently walked out to my room, hearing his footfalls behind me as he willfully followed. 

As I reached my room, I turned around to say goodbye and realized his face was much closer than I had anticipated. I could taste his minty breath on my lips and shakily breathed out. 

"Goodnight Katniss," he breathed out as he turned to walk away. 

He paused at the doors to elevator and looked back, I still stood motionless at my doorway. Before I could think, he was walking back towards me with a determined gleam in his eyes. 

He came to rest right in front of me, his eyes closing as he drew in a deep breath, almost as if he was preparing himself. 

"I'm going to kiss you now. I've wanted to kiss you all day and I know you want to be friends, but I don't and if you hate me after this then I swear-" I cut him off before he could finish his speech by pressing my lips to his. 

He wrapped his hands around my waist before drawing one away to cup my cheek and pull me in closer. I ran my fingers through his hair like I had wanted to all day now and before I could register what was happening, our tongues were fighting for dominance. 

He drew away far too soon and rested his forehead against mine, his breath coming out in short spurts. 

"Now that's how you say goodnight," I chuckled out shakily. 

He laughed against me before pulling his head up to kiss my forehead, "Goodnight Katniss".


End file.
